Of Pretty Necklaces and Uncontrollable Urges
by only breath
Summary: Hermione knew it was wrong. The guilt that welled up inside of her – oh, it was horrible! Yet she kept on stealing, never being caught, always sure to be stealthy and quiet as her clever, nimble fingers snatched away what what would become her newest prized possession.


**Of Pretty Necklaces and Uncontrollable Urges  
**

**By _only breath_**

**OOO**

One didn't exactly need a keen eye to notice the heavy ruby that hung from Parvati Patil's neck, glinting in the firelight as she comfortably curled up by the hearth, oblivious to Hermione's observing stare. It was the perfectly cut the shape of a diamond and was attached to a thin chain of gold. It was obvious that a lot of effort and precision had gone into making the awfully beautiful piece of jewellery.

Hermione was overcome with envy.

She wanted that necklace. _Needed_ it. Why? It certainly wasn't for financial reasons, nor even for its beauty. It was the symbolism – or the memories, rather, that flashed before Hermione's chocolate eyes every time her gaze swept over the pendant. She saw vivid scenes that were very brief, yet caused an overload of emotions to well up within her. Her mother, wearing that exact necklace, rolling around the grass like a little kid... her mother again, baking cookies while her father smiled at her fondly...

Yes, she desperately needed that necklace.

But it would be stealing.

She stole, _all the time_. She urged to steal. It was something she couldn't help, just like the urge to blink. Back in the Muggle world, everyone knew about Hermione's condition. Kleptomania. No one ever spoke of it, but they knew. They knew about the horrible urges that overwhelmed her every hour, and they glared at her with such intense, pure hatred that Hermione often burst into tears at sudden moments, simply because of the venom their eyes showed.

When she came to Hogwarts, she vowed that she wouldn't steal. This was her chance to start over. Make friends. Be liked.

She blew it within the first day.

It was something small – a quill. One that would seem like a normal quill to any normal person. But Hermione saw something else. It was a rather pretty quill; blue and green and yellow, like a peacock feather. Hermione saw dozens of memories of a trip to the Amazon she had had with her family with each glance at the quill.

Susan Bones was devastated when her lucky quill was nowhere to be found.

Hermione knew it was wrong. But she was a kleptomaniac; that meant her urges were _uncontrollable_. They were like a rogue storm, causing destruction and broken hearts wherever it travelled. The guilt that welled up inside of her – oh, it was horrible! Yet she kept on stealing, never being caught, always sure to be stealthy and quiet as her clever, nimble fingers snatched away what would become her newest prized possession.

Guilt wasn't the only negative emotion she experienced. Along with it came absolute self-loathing.

And then she would feel a sort of... _gratification_, which only made her detest herself even more.

Hermione sighed wearily as Parvati absent-mindedly fingered her ruby.

Tonight was her best chance.

* * *

The dormitory was dark.

All that could be heard was the soft, steady breathing of the other sleeping girls. Curtains fluttered soundlessly with the breeze by the window. Hermione quietly pushed aside her sheets, her piercing eyes struggling to adjust to the dark. Eventually, her tired eyes made out the forms of four other beds and their occupants.

She had stayed up all night in order to make sure that everyone was deeply asleep. She guessed that it was about 2 o'clock.

As stealthily as a fox, Hermione crept towards Parvati's bed, her quick and light footsteps hardly making a sound. Her nightgown tickled her ankles as she leaned over the bed, reaching for Parvati's bedside table with an outstretched hand. As her fingers enclosed around the cool gold chain, she smiled with yet another successfully thieved object.

And at the same time, she wanted to slap herself.

Like a ghost, she glided gracefully back to her own bed, making as little noise as possible. She knelt beside her trunk and placed her slender fingers on the latch.

The loud click as it opened made her cringe.

And then came Parvati's sleep-ridden, croaky voice, calling out her name.

Hermione froze, her heart beating wildly.

_Please let it be too dark to see me._

She dreaded to think of what would happen if she were caught. How society would shun her, just as they did back in the Muggle world.

_I'm sorry. I don't mean to steal. I just can't help it._

Parvati groggily sat up, her eyes widening as she saw Hermione crouching before her trunk with the necklace clenched in her hand. Tears streamed down Hermione's face at once. She hoped Parvati would forgive her, and keep her secret.

_Please, Parvati._

She was Hermione Granger. What would everyone say if they realised that she was an insecure thief, trying her best to deal with the guilt that came with her mental condition?

Hermione quietly and sorrowfully whispered everything to her, reluctantly placing the necklace back on Parvati's bedside table.

The firm look Parvati's pretty face was clear. It would be their little secret.

**OOO**

_For: _The Party Challenge (Pictionary; write a fic with no dialogue) – 5, 10, 20, 50, 70, 100 Fandoms Challenge (Harry Potter) – Competition: Seven Deadly Sins (Envy) – The Secret Challenge (your character steals things from other) – The Not For The Faint of Heart Competition (Operation Mentality) – The Diagon Alley Challenge (Flourish & Blotts; write a story based at school)

_Author's Notes:_ Hermione the kleptomaniac. Yep. Review, please!


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